Before looking to the near future, let's take a little more interest in this Grand Prix Portugal 2024, which fascinated us for three days. While we can now consider this Olympic season well underway, the grand prix confirmed that serious matters were here and now. 624 athletes from 90 countries is a record for Portugal.
This represents almost a 13% increase compared to last year, when 2023 was already an Olympic qualification year. This is a sign that no ranking points will be given up and that everyone wants to collect them. Remember that in a few months, Olympic qualification could be decided by just a few points for certain athletes. The next months are a sprint run and a marathon at the same time.
The 2024 Portugal Grand Prix was therefore a participation success, it was also an organisational success. The committee of the Portuguese Judo Federation did an enormous job to welcome almost 1,000 participants (956) if we include all the technical staff of the delegations and the IJF, as well as the guests and media. The federation must be warmly thanked for all the energy that was deployed during these few days.
For some, the results lived up to their hopes, for others not. This is the law of sport and of judo. There will be new deadlines very soon which will allow us to take stock of an ever-evolving situation.
In a few days, the World Judo Tour caravan will stop in Paris for what will be the fiftieth edition of the event, a monument of international judo! At the Accor Arena, 669 judoka from 111 countries are expected. Compared to last year's 82 countries, we understand that this edition will be special, with the presence of the French super stars, such as Clarisse Agbegnenou and Teddy Riner. There will also be a lot of activities on and off the tatami to celebrate judo and the youth.
Above all, it will offer the opportunity to immerse yourself a little, from afar, in the atmosphere that awaits us this summer during the Paris 2024 Games. Let's not skip ahead too soon. We were in Portugal, we will soon be in Paris and the rest is still in the realm of prediction. Paris we are coming!
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